Summers in Belgium can be hot (although you wouldn't think so with the weather of the past few weeks), but they can be particularly gruelling in Brussels, where, surrounded by concrete, there is little relief from the heat.
In the past, the city has simulated the feeling of being at a beach through projects such as "Bruxelles-les-Bains", which saw the Canal area of the city being transformed into an inner-city holiday resort, there are very few actual bathing spots.
This summer, that will change, with the opening of FLOW, a temporary outdoor pool at the canal in Anderlecht created by POOL IS COOL, an initiative which since 2015 has been striving to reintroduce public open-air swimming in Brussels.
"I am delighted with the arrival of a temporary open-air swimming pool in addition to the many other events that will take place in Brussels throughout the summer and that will bring our Region back to life after a months-long lockdown," Brussels Minister-President, said.
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The 17-by-7-metre pool offers people a chance to swim lanes or to cool down on a hot summer's day, but will also be sufficiently shallow to allow young people and children to visit the bathing spot.
On-site, there will be changing rooms, showers, and sun decks, to further create the real holiday experience that many people will have missed during the coronavirus pandemic "that kept people in their own hometown, and has emphasised the need for public places for refreshment in Brussels."
The pool, which has a capacity of about 200 swimmers per day, will be open every afternoon in July and August, but visitors have to book a time slot (they will be released up to 3 days in advance).
There will also be special time slots for women only and swimming classes for children and adults.
Once the relaxations of the coronavirus restrictions have been made, additional cultural programs and events around the pool will be organised, including open-air film screenings.
